With the Industry Committee now scheduled to contact its final clause-by-clause review of Bill C-27 on Wednesday, sources in the Liberal Party advise that its MPs plan to withdraw several controversial copyright lobby-inspired amendments to the computer program and spyware provisions. Since first reported on Friday, thousands of emails and letters protesting the proposals have been sent to Industry committee MPs from all parties. Sources indicate that the Liberals will withdraw three motions actively promoted by the copyright lobby:

a new definition of computer program that would have excluded surreptitiously installed DRM from the ambit of the bill

an exception to a ban on the "collection of personal information through any means of telecommunication, if the collection is made by accessing a computer system or causing a computer system to be accessed without authorization" in cases related to investigations of breach of agreements or laws

an exception for telecom providers to the requirement to obtain express consent before users install programs on their computers

While anything can be happen over the next 24 hours, the decision to withdraw the motions – in combination with the Conservatives reversal on several exceptions that watered down the bill – should mean that the Electronic Commerce Protection Act is preserved as a consumer protection bill as it gets through committee. However, the lobbying to water down the bill will no doubt continue as the bill moves to the floor of the House of Commons and then on to the Senate.

10 Comments

“a new definition of computer program that would have excluded surreptitiously installed DRM from the ambit of the bill” – Why should DRM software be any different from anything else? Too many software packages, etc, right now don’t provide you with access to the T&C prior to making the purchase, and by the time you can see them it is too late to return.

“an exception to a ban on the “collection of personal information through any means of telecommunication, if the collection is made by accessing a computer system or causing a computer system to be accessed without authorization” in cases related to investigations of breach of agreements or laws” – gives them the right to troll around on my computer so long as they use the justification that they are investigating me for breach of a T&C agreement. Even the police need a warrant to do this, so why should the lobby not require it.

“an exception for telecom providers to the requirement to obtain express consent before users install programs on their computers” – someone please tell me with a straight face that Bell or Rogers won’t do this for a fee if the motion passed.

What committee will it go to in the Senate?OK. Now it would be helpful to know where the bill goes in the Senate and WHEN it should be reported back. It won’t help very much if it doesn’t get through before an election is called.

How to control this copyright lobbyThe “copyright lobby” in Canada is presumably an offshoot RIAA and MIAA in the US? Michael can we somehow clearly identify individuals and organizations who are the one who keep trying to do this stuff? Its insidious. Their goals just keep expanding. What do they want to do? Control the world??

Spyware/malware effects the users systems in so many ways. Even thinking about making ANY exemptions to this law, no matter how smaller is costly to the consumer and Canadian businesses. Spyware itself should be outlawed. It’s the “legal” version of a computer virus, and can cause a great deal of harm to computer systems, and networks.

The copyright lobby is getting desperate. Good, but MP’s need to step up to the plate as well and protect our Canadian interests and values. We so need a new generation of politics that understands technology. I guess we’ll just have to keep spanking these MP’s.